Ceremonial Groundbreaking For New Hotel In Heart of Philadelphia’s Convention District

(Government, hotel, and other project officials turn a spadeful of earth at the site of a former parking lot at 12th and Arch Streets. Credit: Lynne Adkins)

By Lynne Adkins

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A groundbreaking ceremony was held today for a new hotel directly across the street from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The “Home2 Suites by Hilton” will rise on the corner of 12th and Arch Streets, with 246 suites catering to conventioneers and visitors hoping to enjoy the nearby sites, including the Reading Terminal Market and Chinatown (see previous story).

Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter was thrilled that the project has successfully weathered the economic storm of the past few years.

“This is all about jobs and economic vitality, so we’re very, very excited about this,” he said today. “It puts Philadelphians, to work and we have some of the most highly trained workers anywhere in the US.”

(Artist's rendering of the new "Home 2" hotel.)

—-

The $60-million hotel is set to open in the summer of 2013. The project is creating 123 construction jobs and will bring 146 permanent hotel positions to town.